Archive for the ‘holistic missions’ Category

CHRISTMAS: ONE FESTIVAL, TWO KEY CONCEPTS

Today is a special day for Christianity. Many non-Christians have also adopted Christmas out of solidarity or for personal convenience. It, therefore, seems appropriate to us to stimulate reflection on the deep meaning of this festival and its impact on humanity in the light of Luke 2:13-14: « Suddenly, a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God, and saying, « Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. » (NIV)

These words follow the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and his solemn announcement to the shepherds who tended their flocks in the vicinity of Bethlehem. It was at night. The timing could not be better to announce the birth of the Light of the world. However, the symbol does not stop there because the choice of shepherds seems highly disconcerting. Indeed, the shepherds did not have a good reputation at that time. People perceived them as dirty, dishonest, and unreliable. They were, therefore, on the margins of society. But curiously, it is on them and not on the political authorities, the religious leaders, or the business men and women that the choice of God falls to have the scoop of this announcement as exceptional as it is. But what is the deep meaning of this divine strategy?

The hermeneutical key seems to reside in the two fundamental concepts: « glory » and « peace ». Although the original text is in Greek, the terms dóxa (glory) and eirênê (peace) naturally refer to Hebrew realities because the first listeners were Jews. Thus, the glory does not only translate the external beauty and the excellence of the divine nature. It also reflects the Hebrew term kavod, which means « glory, honor, respect, distinction, and importance. » Thus, beyond the aesthetic dimension, the divine majesty is so immense that its weight is terrifying. As a result, human norms and conventions crumble like a house of cards before divine glory, giving shepherds the same value in the eyes of God as any other individual in society. The reasoning is simple: everybody is welcome since even marginalized people are now valued. Christmas is good news for everyone, without any discrimination. What about the second concept?

Here too, it would be aberrant to see in peace mentioned in this text the notion of absence of war and conflict conferred by the etymological meaning of this term in Greek. Instead, this word is deeply rooted in the Jewish cultural and religious context. Thus, « peace » refers to the Hebrew term shalom. It confers the idea of harmony in all dimensions of the human condition. It is harmony with God, with oneself, with one’s fellow beings, with one’s activities, and with one’s environment. In short, it is holistic well-being. At Christmas, God announces to humanity the solution to the multidimensional imbalance caused by the fall in the Garden of Eden. Through Christ, God is interested in spiritual, physical, psychological, social, economic, environmental, and integral welfare of His creatures. It is also under this holistic paradigm that the Lord Jesus placed his ministry through reading the passage from the book of Isaiah, which relates to it in detail (cf. Luke 4:16-19 and Isaiah 61:1 -2 [old Greek version]). Thus, the shepherds have become agents of integral transformation. They promptly assumed this responsibility, spreading the good news in their immediate surroundings (cf. Luke 2:16-20). We then understand that if the outcast can be catalysts for holistic peace, those with a more honorable social position can do it more.

Therefore, this profound message has a broader scope than a superficial reading of the text! The fact that the text is available today, even translated into multiple languages and within reach of the contemporary public, challenges us all. To celebrate Christmas in the spirit of the biblical story is to go beyond the peripheral, material, commercial or worldly dimensions to live the values it contains. As former US President John Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) so aptly said, « Christmas is not a day or a season; it’s a state of mind. »  Beyond Christmas’s lively and temporal character, human beings may draw from the depth of their relationship with the Creator of the universe and everything within it to be an instrument of peace in all its dimensions. In so doing, the world would be a better place to live. May it please the Lord to grant us the courage, wisdom, strength, and perseverance to be ambassadors of shalom, in words and deeds, in a world plagued by hostile forces and violence in its many forms!

Prof. Moussa Bongoyok

Christmas 2022

Excellents modèles de protection de l’environnement et de développement durable à vulgariser sur le continent africain

Excellent models of environmental protection and sustainable development to be popularized on the African continent

Les arbres qui apportent la pluie GIZ Extrême-Nord Cameroun

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_duz8-vjsf0

Yacouba Sawadogo, l’homme qui a arrété le désert

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nICoE1yESTs

La maison du paysan

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgWhKnRpUa4



Songhai-Bénin

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngd4DMznAXY et https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NikSJrYuVIg

Ecological Organic Agriculture Development in Tanzania

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt-0RV_11DI

Trusted Resources for Churches from Leading Experts – Ressources fiables pour les Eglises de la part des Experts

Voici un website utile pour les leaders des Eglises pris dans le tourbillon du coronavirus.

Below is a helpful website for Church leaders dealing with coronavirus crisis.

https://coronavirusandthechurch.com/

Voici un document utile

Préparer votre
Église face au
Coronavirus
(Covid-19)

Preparing-Your-Church-for-Coronavirus

COVID-19_stepbystep_French_

Standards Internationaux Communs pour la pratique du développement communautaire

Voici les standards internationaux pour la pratique du développement communautaire:

IACD_27-Standards-Guidance-May-2018_French_V4

 

Cliquer pour accéder à IACD_27-Standards-Guidance-May-2018_French_V4.pdf

Sages Conseils de Martin Luther pendant la peste noire en Europe, au 16e siècle

« Je demanderai à Dieu par miséricorde de nous protéger. Ensuite, je vais enfumer, pour aider à purifier l’air, donner des médicaments et les prendre. J’éviterai les lieux, et les personnes, où ma présence n’est pas nécessaire pour ne pas être contaminé et aussi infliger et affecter les autres, pour ne pas causer leur mort par suite de ma négligence. Si Dieu veut me prendre, il me trouvera sûrement et j’aurai fait ce qu’il attendait de moi, sans être responsable ni de ma propre mort ni de la mort des autres. Si mon voisin a besoin de moi, je n’éviterai ni lieu ni personne, mais j’irai librement comme indiqué ci-dessus. Voyez, c’est une telle foi qui craint Dieu parce qu’elle n’est ni impétueuse ni téméraire et ne tente pas Dieu. » Martin Luther

Source : Œuvres de Luther Volume 43 p. 132 la lettre « Que l’on puisse fuir une peste mortelle » écrite au révérend Dr. John Hess.

 

Vivre la Bonne Nouvelle dans un contexte africain/living the Good News in an African context

Pour lire cet article, veuillez cliquer sur le lien ci-dessous (In order to read this article, please click on the link below):

 

https://wciujournal.wciu.edu/area-studies/2019/11/18/vivre-la-bonne-nouvelle-dans-un-contexte-africain-living-the-good-news-in-an-african-context

Réseau de Missiologie Évangélique pour l’Afrique Francophone (REMEAF)

Annonce:

Le Réseau de Missiologie Évangélique pour l’Afrique Francophone (REMEAF) a la joie

de porter à la connaissance de tous les chrétiens évangéliques qu’il relance ses

activités. Toutes celles et ceux qui ont un fardeau pour le salut des âmes sont priés

d’envoyer leur demande d’adhésion à comm[at]iudi.org

(veuillez remplacer [at] par @).

https://contributionsafricaines.com/reseau-de-missiologie-evangelique-pour-lafrique-francophone-remeaf/

Les cris de douleur d’un peuple en détresse suite aux exactions meurtrières de Boko Haram

 

Lamentations d’un jeune Mafa de Moskota condamné à l’exil dans des conditions infrahumaines suite aux exactions meurtrières de la secte islamiste Boko Haram contre les populations du Mayo Tsanaga dans l’Extrême-Nord du Cameroun.
Lamentations of a young Mafa from Moskota condemned to live in exile, and in infrahuman conditions, following the murderous killings of the Islamist sect Boko Haram against the populations of Mayo Tsanaga in the Far North of Cameroon.

Gospel for North Africa

POUR PLUS DE DETAILS VEUILLEZ VISITER https://myiudi.org/home/

ou http://www.iudi.org

Si vous souhaitez vous inscrire, veuillez nous contacter sur comm[at]iudi.org (veuillez remplacer [at] par @)

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT https://myiudi.org/home/

or http://www.iudi.org

If you want to enroll, please contact us at comm[at]iudi.org (please replace [at] with @)

Sosi ngaya a Yesu- Thank you Jesus- Mafa Music

IMG_0530

Thank you, Jesus, Thank you

You are the King of kings

Alpha and Omega

The Morning Star

The Way

The Prince of Peace

The Father of Grace

The Truth

The Eternal Life

The Good Shepherd

The Bread of Life

The Source of living water

You opened the eyes of Bartimaeus

You healed the man with leprosy

You give life

Give me your wisdom

Lead me

Watch over your Church

Watch over our family

We give you all our hearts

We give you all our life

Rule over it…

Merci, Jésus, merci

Tu es le Roi des rois

Tu es Alpha et Omega (le Commencement et la fin)

L’Etoile du matin

Le Chemin

Le Prince de la Paix

Le Père de la grâce

La Vérité

La Vie éternelle

Le Bon berger

Le Pain de la vie

La Source d’eau vive

Tu as ouvert les yeux de Bartimée

Tu as guéri le lépreux

Tu donnes la vie

Donne-moi ta sagesse

Guide-moi

Veille sur ton Eglise

Veille sur notre famille

Nous te donnons entièrement nos cœurs

Nous te donnons notre vie entière

Règne là-dessus …

Musique et paroles:  Pr Moussa Bongoyok

(c) copyright by Moussa Bongoyok, 2017

%d blogueurs aiment cette page :